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' SPIKE.

No. 487,587.- Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

WITNESSES. INVENTORS;

A TTOHNE Y S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMA A. STREETER, OF NEW YORK, AND BRADFORD WV. NICHOLS, OF HERKIMER, NEW YORK.

SPIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,587, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed August 23, 1892- Serial No. 443,915. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that we, EMMA A. STREETER, of New York city,in the county of New York, and BRADFORD W. NICHOLS, of Herkirner, in the county of Herkirner, State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Spike, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention is an improvement in the class of double-shanked spikes.

The invention consists in a spike constructed as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure lis afront elevation of the improved spike, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

In carrying out the invention the spike may be said to consist of a head A and twin shanks or stems B and B, emanating from the head. The head A is solid and is preferably given in plan view somewhat of a rectangular shape; but in side elevation the top of the head is rendered somewhat cylindrical, as shown at O in Fig. 2, and the under face of the head from the shanks outward is somewhat upwardly inclined, as illustrated at O in the said Fig. 2; but we desire it to be dis tinctly understood that the shape of the head may be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention. The head, however, as has been heretofore stated, is made solid, as are likewise the twin shanks B and B. These shanks form, preferably, an integral portion of the head, although they may be welded or otherwise attached thereto. A

shank is located at each end of the head, the outer side faces of the shanks being essentially flush with the end surfaces of the head. The shanks extend in parallel lines downward and are spaced some distance apart, as

shown-that is to say, the shanks are straight and their opposite inner and corresponding outer sides are parallel throughout their length. The points D of the shanks are, however, beveled on opposite sidesfront and rear-as shown. In consequence of this construction the shanks will penetrate the wood in straight and parallel lines.

It may here be remarked that, preferably, in the construction of the spike the back portions of both of the shanks and likewise the rear of the head are in practically the same plane. It is also obvious that the spike may be employed, as heretofore stated, wherever an ordinary spike is capable of being used, and especially in the laying of railroad-rails a spike of the construction above set forth when driven into a sleeper'in the usual manner cannot be withdrawn therefrom without considerable exertion, as the dual shanks of the spike tend to hold each other in the artiole in which they are embedded, and the spike cannot be canted from side. to side to loosen it, as the double shanks will afford too much resistance. Thus it is evident that a spike of this character will not be loosened, as are ordinary spikes, by the vibrations of the rails they are intended to hold in place.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- As an improved article of manufacture, the spike composed of the straight parallel-sided shanks B B, having points D, which are similarly beveled on opposite front and rear sides, and the head O, having the lateral flange 0' on the front side, all constructed integrally, as shown and described.

EMMA A. STREETER. BRADFORD W. NICHOLS. W'itnesses:

J. FRED. ACKER, EDGAR TATE. 

